Asa child I was round shouldered and shy. My father made a barbell set with wooden dowels and weight plates and inspired me to perform targeted exercises and improve my posture. That was my first exposure to exercise unassociated with play. I thank my parents for introducing me to fitness through their forward thinking encouragement to lift weights before weight training for girls was cool, to play sports and have an active childhood. My active childhood became an active adulthood and an active career.
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The Highlights
- IDEA: Fitness Instructor of the Year
- Vogue Magazine: One of “America’s Best Trainers”
- WIFA: One of the “Women Who Birthed an Industry” IRHSA 2018
- QiCLUB: Education Director, Program Developer, Choreographer
- TRX Training: Senior Course Instructor
- Author, Blogger & Expert for TV, Audio, Video, Print and Electronic Media
Especially Cool Stuff (according to me!)
- I threw the ceremonial first pitch for a Milwaukee Brewers game…Scary!
- I flew via military transport & toured NORAD as a participant in Leadership Rome…an Honor!
- I trained the judges of the first World Aerobics Championship in Amsterdam…just Cool!
And Then There’s This
- SHAPE Magazine “Do It Right” Expert
- Media Reference on Behalf of:
- American Council on Exercise (ACE)
- American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
- ACE & AFAA Continuing Education Provider
- Interviewed on ESPN, CNN, QVC, and Network affiliates
- Head Judge – National Aerobic Championship
- Judge – World Aerobic Championship
- Creator of Think-GPS™ Adventures
A Collection of Odd Jobs
- Reebok University
- Fitness Program Development
- Member Global Development Team
- Final Cuts (co-Lead Developer)
- Rep Reebok (co-Lead Developer)
- Flexible Strength
- Core Board
- Master Trainer
- South East Regional Team Leader
- Slide, Step, Studio Cycle, Core Board, Rep Reebok, Flexible Strength
- Fitness Program Development
- QiCLUB
- Director of Education
- QiFORZE Lead Developer
- QiTREK Lead Developer
- QiDANCE Foundation Course
- US Armed Forces MWR
- South Korea
- Yokosuka, Japan
- Okinawa, Japan
- Heavy Hands
- Batuka
- PowerBar Team Elite
- TRX Senior Course Instructor
- Resist-A-Ball Master Trainer
- PodFitness/NextFitness Featured Trainer
- LeMond Cycle Master Trainer
- Gliding Master Trainer
- Author & “Go To” Contributing Expert for Print and E-media
including: Athletic Business, Prevention, SHAPE, Yoga Journal, Oxygen, Southern Living, Woman’s Day, Fitness, American Fitness, Health, Cosmopolitan, WebMD, Better Homes & Gardens, Self, Cooking Light, Women’s Health, International Council on Active Aging, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, WMDT.com, The Orlando Sentinel, TerraWellington.com, Organic Authority, LifetimeTV.com, Cosmo Girl, IDEA Fitness Edge, Personal Fitness Professional, Maxim, Journal on Active Aging, Zest, The Atlanta, GymAmerica.com, Functional U, PhillyBlurbs.com, Reebok.com, Viv, Weight Watchers, Publix Family Style, Mail Tribune, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, CommercialAppeal.com, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Muscle and Fitness, Health and You, LifeScript.com, LifetimeTV.com, MedicalMoment.com and perhaps one or two others_☺
“When I wanted to start my career in the fitness industry, I knew I needed to call Leigh. Not only is she an amazing trainer, but she is a strong and successful business woman. She took me under her wing and mentored me on everything from how to choreograph group fitness classes to proper class etiquette and attire to running successful fitness programs in a large facility and even studying for my first certification. Leigh saw me as a peer – not a competitor – and she chose to share her knowledge with me. Although I have worked with many wonderful trainers since, Leigh will always be my mentor and friend and the one to whom I owe my success. Thank you, Leigh, for starting me on the path to living my dream.” ~ Kristy Agan, RKCII Certified Personal Trainer
Certifications: A History
- Wellcoaches Corporation – Corporate Well Coach
- White Lotus Foundation – Yoga Instructor
- Yoga Alliance – Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT)
- NASM – Personal Trainer
- ACSM – Health Fitness Instructor
- Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research – Physical Fitness Specialist
- ACE – (Gold) Group Fitness Instructor
- AFAA – Primary Group Exercise, Step & Kickboxing
- American Institute for Preventive Medicine – Weight Loss Instructor
- Walk Reebok – Certified Instructor
Discography
- Self Produced
- Y2K: Yoga 2000
- Four Ways Strong
- Straight Up Yoga
- Unleashing the Athlete with Zen
- Reebok
- Reebok Final Cuts
- HeavyHands
- YogaHands
- HeavyHands Walk Plus
- Healthy Learning
- TRX: Training for Active Seniors
- Flow Yoga 1 – Introduction to Fluid Movement
- Flow Yoga 2 – Smart Sequencing
- Flow Yoga 3 – Building Strength
- Strength in the Balance
- Core on the Floor
- Creating Successful Boot Camps
- Creating Boot Camps for Zoomers
- Everyday Yoga – Hips and Knees
- Buff Bodz ‘N Little Bodz
Conventionally Speaking
Ithas been my privilege to train thousands of fitness instructors, personal trainers and coaches at hundreds of conferences and professional summits around the world, including:
- IDEA World Fitness & Nutrition
- CanFitPro
- ACSM Health & Fitness Summit
- IHRSA
- TRX Summits
- DCAC
- IDEA Fusion
- IDEA Personal Trainer Summit
- ICAA International Conference on Active Aging
- AFPA
- Evolution Fitness
- Florida Parks and Recreation
- PSAHPERD
- Reebok Resolutions
- SCW/MANIA